Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, Kansas

Background on Installation

The Kansas Army Ammunition Plant is a 13,727-acre facility located in rural Kansas and has always been utilized for “pack and load” production rather than manufacturing of explosives. This mission required large Quantity Distance Arcs (distance required for safety and protection from exposure), which were far greater than the actual production areas. The majority of the acreage (88 percent) is free of contamination. Nearly 100 percent of the non-ammunition producing plant grounds are under agricultural leases for hay production, pasture, and cropland.

Property Reuse - Disposal

The Master Redevelopment Plan was completed and provided to the Army in August 2007. The recommended key land uses are conservation and agriculture, commercial energetics and munitions storage, industrial/manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, energy parks, public education and training, office/business parks, housing, and hazardous materials treatment. In addition, a comprehensive infrastructure study was completed to modernize the WW II era infrastructure systems.

The Master Redevelopment Plan provides for 4,000 acres to be acquired by the current munitions manufacturer. In this downsized footprint, the company will continue to seek contracts at competitive bid and through third-party companies. It also plans to diversify its operations.

The plant has long provided a protective habitat for white-tail deer—it is ranked the seventh best location in the country for hunting opportunities. The protective habitat and the many riparian corridors and wetlands unique to Kansas have resulted in strong interest from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). To capitalize on the hunting and tourism opportunities, 3,000 acres will be sold to KDWP through an Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) transfer directly from the Army as well as an indirect sale through the GPDA (Great Plains Development Authority). The 6,737 acres of remaining land will be developed into heavy and light industrial parcels, agribusiness and agritourism sites, office space, and residential property.

For more information on the challenges that the community faced, click here.